A trip to Center Parcs is a rite of passage, and many of us have fond memories of splashing around in the wave pools, sharing meals in the restaurants, and spending quality time in the forests.
It’s famously family-friendly, with activities for kids of all ages, from teddy bear making to cooking classes and roller skating.
Now, though, one helpful service is about to be axed – and it’s going to make life a trickier for parents.
The company previously offered a crèche service for kids between three months and three years, for up to three hours. The price was around £30 a session.
However, it has confirmed that this will no longer be offered at any of its five UK resorts by the end of next month.
Customers with upcoming bookings have discovered they can no longer book their kids in if their holiday is after the end of May, and the option has been removed across all of Center Parcs’ UK sites.
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Families are gutted. For many, it opened up the opportunity for parents to enjoy quality time together, or for grandparents to be let off the childcare hook.
As one parent wrote in the Center Parcs Facebook group: ‘I had planned to book a much needed child free trip to the spa with my husband and planned to put the children in the kids clubs and our 2 year old in the crèche so we could go together.’
A spokesperson for Center Parcs told Metro: ‘We’re always looking to review and evolve the guest experience. We have made the decision to remove the crèche activity from our breaks, to reflect guest feedback and limited demand for this particular activity.
‘Crèche sessions are one of more than 20 activities available within our Activity Den and our other activities will continue to run as normal.’
They added that Center Parcs is working on developing new activities for children of all ages, but when we asked them to elaborate on what that means, they declined to comment.
Changes to check-in times
This isn’t the only change Center Parcs has made recently.
After congestion led to traffic and long queues for guests, the franchise decided to stagger arrival times in September 2025.
The slots now depend on the type of accommodation, with the priciest snagging earlier check-in times.
Guests booked into Treehouses – the most premium offering, including dedicated parking, a hot tub, games room and sauna – are able to access them from 1pm.
Those staying in Exclusive Lodges are able to check in from 2pm, while those in Forest Lodges, Hotels and Apartments have to wait until 3pm, and Woodland Lodges guests until 4pm.
Fear not, though: those who want a little bit of extra time in their apartment can purchase an early arrival package.
Center Parcs’ expansion
Soon, the five-strong UK franchise will become six, with plans for a new village in Scotland.
It’ll be in the Scottish Borders, north of Hawick and south of Selkirk – around a 90-minute drive from Edinburgh and Newcastle, or two hours from Glasgow.
Initial zoning blueprints show the scale of the project, including 700 self-catering lodges designed for family stays.
Frequent guests of Center Parcs will see that the new park has everything you’d expect from one of their villages, including a Subtropical Swimming Paradise and a children’s play area. Work began on the site last month.
You won’t need to pack your trunks for a while, though, as at the moment, it’s hoped it might open by 2029.
My family spent £1,920 on a weekend at Center Parcs — here’s exactly what we got
Metro’s Commercial Video Lead, Chris Buswell, shares his experience spending the weekend at Center Parcs with his family:
Kicking off day one, we opt for one of the cheaper activities: an hour of American pool at £14.25. A little pricier than the free one at my local, but split between four people I’m not going to complain.
We buy rounds to get the holiday in full swing, but my bank account is already crying. At over £7 a pint and no Guinness in sight, perhaps this weekend is a sign for a detox.
One of the biggest differences I notice since coming as a rugrat is the levelling up of accommodation.
When I was little, it was basic metal bunk beds and lounge seating that looked a bit like a dentist’s office.
Stepping into the newly refurbished Woodland Premium Lodge, it’s clear there has been a glow-up.
Warm decor, toasty radiators and a fresh linen scent greet as I step through into the open-plan kitchen, living and dining room, where a fake fireplace crackles below the smart TV and a private view opens out onto woodland, horses strutting their stuff in the distance.
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